Sudden Aggression in Dogs Often a Sign of Pain

Below:

Next story in Science

Sudden changes in a dog's temperament, for example episodes of
aggression, could be related to some internal pain they are
feeling, which sets them on edge if they are touched, new
research indicates.

"If the pet is handled when in pain, it will quickly
act aggressively to avoid more discomfort without the owner
being able to prevent it," study researcher Tomàs Camps, of the
Autonomous University of Barcelona, in Spain, said in a
statement. "Dogs that had never been aggressive before the onset
of pain began to behave in this way in situations where an
attempt is made to control them."

Irritability from pain can make otherwise affectionate dogs
violent and already aggressive dogs even more aggressive. As
such, the researchers say, their findings support the importance
of the diagnosis and treatment
of pain in dogs.

Several factors can explain a barking, aggressive dog: The
conditions of the mother during gestation, the handling of the
puppy in the neonatal phase, the age at weaning, the experiences
of the animal during the socializing phase, diet, exercise,
genetics and learning techniques based on
active punishment during adulthood.

Focusing only on sudden increases in aggression, the researchers
studied 12 dogs (Giant schnauzer, Irish setter, Pit-bull,
Dalmatian, two German shepherds, Neapolitan Mastiff, Shih-tzu,
Bobtail, Catalan Sheepdog, Chow-chow and Doberman) that were
brought to the university's veterinary hospital by their owners
in 2010 and 2011.

Scientists asked dog owners the who, what, where and when of the
attacks on their owners: They identified the most frequent
circumstances in which dogs were aggressive, the most
characteristic positions, the most frequent target of attacks
(usually the owners) and if there were warning signals before an
imminent
attack.

Pained pups

"All (eleven males and one female) were diagnosed as having
aggression caused by pain. Out of the 12 studied, eight had
suffered a hip dysplasia," Camps said.
Hip dysplasia is a painful condition common in larger dogs,
in which abnormal formation of the hip socket can cause crippling
lameness and painful arthritis of the joints.

Canine hip dysplasia is hereditary and affects more than 40
percent of Golden retrievers, Labradors and Rottweilers. The
problem begins slowly, so it's important to catch it early.
Random aggressive episodes brought on by pain could help vets
diagnose the disease.

The study was published February 23 in the Journal of Veterinary
Behavior -- Clinical Applications and Research.